AAA
This refers to a game of the highest quality. IDG defines
AAA titles as those ranking among the top 5 titles based
on unit sales of the year.
Alpha
Alpha is a specific stage of the development cycle.
At this stage the game should be in a playable state
but will contain many bugs. Alpha precedes Beta and
Gold.
Beta
Once a game has passed through Alpha it enters Beta-testing.
At this stage it is very close to being released but
there are expected to be many small bugs remaining.
No new material is added during Beta and once it passes
it will go Gold.
Bug
The term Bug refers to a mistake in software that can
affect a game in a variety of ways from distorted graphics
to major crashes.
Cell
Shading
Cell Shading is a 3D rendering technique that is used
to simulate the 2D style of cartoons.
Cut
Scene
These are short movie sequences that intersperse game
play. Traditionally the player is a spectator during
cut-scenes.
Development
Cycle
This is the term given to the time it takes to develop
a game from conception to release.
Engine
An engine is an elaborate piece of code that powers
a game. Everything that the player sees and does is
powered by this core software.
E3
The Electronic Entertainment Expo(E3) is the world's
largest annual video game conference where developers
and journalists gather to witness the very latest games
and technologies. For the last few years this event
has been held in Los Angeles.
FPS
First Person Shooter(FPS) is a game played from the
first person perspective. The player is embodied in
the character that they control i.e.. Half Life.
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Frag
The term frag was coined by Quake and it means
'to kill'.
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Format
The term format refers to the type of machine needed
to play a game i.e.. Xbox or PS2. |
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Gold
When a game has successfully passed through Beta-testing
and is ready to duplicate, it is considered to have
gone gold
Middleware
This is a term given to software companies who sell
or license their game engines to other companies.
Milestone
Milestones are objectives that must be met during
the development cycle.
MMO
Massively Multi-player On-Line(MMO) games are
played on the internet with many people i.e..
Everquest. |
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Mod
Many games allow the players to create their own levels,
characters and goals. These are often then released
on the internet and are called Mods.
NTSC
This is the standard format of television in America
and Japan and stands for National Television Standards
Committee.
PAL
This is the most common format of television in the
world and is the standard in Europe.
Patch
If bugs are found in games that have already been released,
patches are often circulated to fix them.
Platform
The term Platform refers to the type of machine
needed to play a game i.e.. Xbox or PS2. |
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RPG
Role Playing Game(RPG) is a type of game that stems
from Dungeons and Dragons i.e. Neverwinter Nights.
RTS
Real Time Strategy(RTS) games are strategy games that
are played in real time. When commands are sent, actions
occur immediately i.e.. Command and Conquer.
SDK
Software Developer Kits(SDK) are tools released to the
gaming community by the developers. |
